Planner Momma Talks: What Is Bullet Journaling?

I have to admit, I always get caught off-guard, forgetting things I should’ve kept in mind or feeling anxious because I think I’ve forgotten something I should be doing. That’s the reason why a notebook and a pen are a staple to my daily living. Aside from the fact that I love writing, I easily remember things when I write them down.

I have always been a planner girl (now, a planner momma!). It’s what keeps my sanity from leaving me. Lol! Then came late last year when I was introduced to Bullet Journaling which made my planning life more exciting for me. I’m loving it since then.

Most often than not, I get asked what Bullet Journaling is. So I thought I could share here in my little world some of the things I know about BuJos.

What is a Bullet Journal?

A Bullet Journal, created by Ryder Carroll, is basically a simple, customisable and forgiving organisation system which can be as fancy as you wanted it to be or minimalist if you like it to be simpler.

It can be used as a doodle notebook, a space for your to-do lists, a diary or, yes you guessed it, a journal. 😀

Why Bullet Journaling?

When I was still using a conventional type of planners found in bookstores, I often find myself abandoning some of the pages I don’t feel like. Basically, it’s because the ready-made page isn’t applicable to my lifestyle. For example, the page where I could’ve written my beauty routines or the to-buy-list of make ups aren’t for me because I am not really into cosmetics. But it’s already there in that planner and it sucks that I couldn’t use it. It feels like a waste of page for me.

Those instances are the very reason why Bullet Journaling suits me best. There’s a sense of freedom in BuJos which allows me to do anything I want on any page that I want. It’s something I can keep up with.

In this digital age where almost everything’s in the palm of your hands, I often get asked: “Why not just write it on your phone’s reminders list or calendar?” Well I say, the act of writing down a list of the things I needed to do pushes me to more likely do them and it’s backed-up with Science. That’s a fact and that’s what works for me.

For some mommas like me, organised life has been more likely… already forgotten. Lol. With Bullet Journaling, I gained back the chance to have a somewhat organised life again.

I want to start Bullet Journaling, what do I need?

You only need a notebook, a pen and maybe a ruler. For some Bullet Journalists, they use pens, stabilo markers and colored pencils. I know it’s intimidating. I’ve been there, too!

I even got pens and washi tapes as a gift from my BFF last year because she knows I’m about to start my BuJourney and that’s how supportive she is (thanks, Gen! 😉 ).

My first notebook is a Victoria’s Journal notebook, in the teal color, with blank pages. It’s what I use until now.

The first few pages are really a struggle for me because there’s something inside me that makes it want to look good just like how I see other Bullet Journalists’ notebooks on Pinterest.

Before I started writing on my BuJo, I am so nervous I might ruin the page. I was so afraid to make mistakes (almost every creative planners, if not all, have gone through this feeling!), and honestly, that’s a bad thing. It ended up with the feeling that I was just trying hard to make my BuJo look presentable.

Planning doesn’t always mean it has to be perfect. That every page is beautiful and Instagram-worthy.

You can head on to Pinterest for inspiration and you’ll see A LOT of beautiful pages and ideas for creative planning. But keep in mind that your Bullet Journal is YOUR Bullet Journal. What works for me may not work for some, so do not push yourself too hard. Keep it real. After all, your goal is to have an organisation system that works for you. Make it something you can use. That’s what I did!

As time passed by, I learned to keep my BuJo as simple as possible. I had to make it manageable and less painful to keep because I have a job to work on plus two other babies to take care of on top of everything. Here’s one page for my August spread.

I would be sharing what’s inside my Bullet Journal and how I make use of it as my planner over the next few days. But one thing’s for sure… With Bullet Journaling, I found what the planning enthusiasts mostly referred to as planner peace. If you’re a planner girl or momma too, I hope you already found yours. 🙂

I love to plan too and I have a lot of list at home so I can manage my time. I tend to forget things too so I really need pen and paper. But I think having a journal is okay too, sa notepad and calendar lang kasi ko nagsusulat ng reminders ko. Try ko yan, maybe next year. hehehe!

Wow, BuJo! I’ve been bullet journalling since the beginning of this year – I still use my Kikki K for personal, family, & blogging stuff and my bullet journal is for work. I was afraid to start because I was afraid to make mistakes, but when I made my first mistake, I didn’t feel like ripping out the paper and starting all over again like I used to. Parang wala lang, it’s part of my BuJo now. My advice is to just start; you’ll just figure it out as you go. I kept changing formats to see what would best fit my style and it’s completely okay!

Months ago, I watched a video about Bullet Journaling. And I thought, “this one looks complicated” lol! With all the pens and the fact that I am prone to losing pens no matter how many I buy is frightening. haha. I had a planner earlier this year, by March, it was just sitting on my desktop nalang. I don’t know, I really just keep forgetting things, huhu. So I’m not sure if bullet journaling is for me but I really like the concept of it. I bet it helps a lot of folks already. Ako, I keep a little desktop calendar nalang beside my PC. It’s the one thing that reminds me of what I need to do at a glance (maliban sa Google calendar ko).

I stalk a lot of people on IG who do BuJo. I tried doing it myself before but I’ve learned that it’s not really my style. Hehe. 🙂 You’re right, what works for some may not work for others. One of my daughters tried my style and it didn’t work for her. Now she wants to try BuJo too. 🙂

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Mitchikels

Howdy! I am Michelle and welcome to my blog! I am a wife, and a breastfeeding, cloth nappying, co-sleeping and babywearing Momma since 2015. I was once a Software Engineer who made the choice to be a WAHM and pursue my dream of becoming a writer. I am nostalgic and sentimental. I like reading books, and anything owl-y and hearts-y stuff!

This blog is built due to the long lost dream of becoming a writer, and the euphoria of being a mother! :) So join me as I journey through (though clueless for most of the time) and celebrate motherhood, love and life. Read more...